in one the Pagan seeks perfection by his Law natural Reason and Vertue the Turk by his Alchoran the Jew by Moses the Monke by the Rule of his Order the Spiritual Papist by mortification of the Spirit and this People by perfect obedience to the Light within that is the Law in this all are one all seeking righteousness by work in the flesh in obedience to Tradition or Letter or Spirit The Law is a great light manifesting all flesh and the deeds thereof a great Lord ruling over all flesh as long as it lives Christ came forth greater than the Law crucified the flesh and the body of death in himself and thereby put an end to the dominion of the Law unto all that believe thus in his Crosse I am dead to all things and they to me Whereas he saith they know not his Commands in Spirit who say Christ fulfilled the Law for us in his own person or that he makes what we do accepted with the Father I ask of him and of all in his perswasion Can yee pass through the depths of Sin Death and the Curse that he passed through yee neither know the Law nor what spirit yee are of Can yee bring forth the works of obedience an incorruptible righteousness in your corruptible bodies answering to that pure Law and most pure God before whom Moses did fear and quake and Abraham by works could not glory and no flesh can be justified were not all we like sheep gone astray and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all the chastisement of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed where this is truly and purely believed Revelations of Christ are most desirable and glorious where this is excluded all pretended approaches to God Revelations of God or perfections of obedience will be but as hotter fires to consume first your faith and interest in Christ and after your precious souls with all your labour and pains and works To what he saies the bloud within makes perfect that without could not let it be said the bloud of the Man Christ through the eternal Spirit working therein became the death of the first Adam with all his deeds and all the evils that came in by him so with him am I already dead and freed from sin as in him the Head as this my death and freedome in him does reveale it self in me so I dye daily as in my earthly members If by the bloud within be intended this that as the bloud of Bulls and Goats was a figure of the bloud of Christ so his bloud was but a figure of bloud or Spirit within us then know assuredly that as the bloud offered in the first Tabernacle was offered without the Holiest though within the Tabernacle so the bloud within all purifyings by the light within will be found to be but the bloud without that is offered without the veyle without the Holiest though within your Persons But is not the Spirit sufficient in power to redeem from sin by his work within us let this be said as of use in most things that have been spoken the power of the Spirit is unsearchable and unlimited but the mystery of his Will is declared in Christ that not by Spirit alone but by Spirit and Bloud and that in one man he has redeemed and purged all the evils that came by the offence of one of old God filled Heaven and Earth yet he would be known and sought only in Jerusalem nothing could comprehend the God head yet the fulness of it dwelt in Christ bodily so the Spirit dwells in all his people yet through the bloud of the Man Christ alone did God chuse to go forth in his power to the abolishing of our death and manifesting eternal freedome for us so when it is said yee are justified redeemed and saved by God by Grace by the name of Christ by the Spirit of our God we are to understand that the Name and Grace and Spirit of God went forth against our sins and death in the bloud of Jesus and thereby did them away forever which by faith we behold and as we behold we are changed into the same Image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord. Wherefore the proper use of the Law is first to bridle civil transgressions and then to reveale and encrease spiritual transgressions the Law is a Light which revealeth not the Grace of God not righteousness and life but sin and death wrath and judgement and as in Mount Sinai the thundring lightning the thick and dark cloud the hill smoaking and flaming and all that terrible shew did not rejoice nor quicken the children of Israel but terrified and astonished them and shewed how unable they were with all their purity and holiness to abide the Majesty of God so the Law in its true use doth nothing else but reveale sin work wrath and bring into desperation and here it hath an end and ought to go no further the use of the Gospel is to reveale the end of the Law of sin and wrath in the death of Christ and the righteousness peace and love of God brought forth for us in him I shall adde an observation of Luther of this difference between the Law and Gospel there is nothing to be found in the Books of Monks Cannonists and School men no nor in the Books of the ancient Writers there was a wonderful silence many years as touching this difference in all Schools and Churches and this brought mens consciences into great danger for unlâ—ss the Gospel be plainly discerned from the Law tru-doctrine cannot be kept sound and uncorrupt but if this difference be well known it is an easie matter to discern faith from works Christ from Moses and all politick works for all things without Christ are the Ministry of death for the punishing of the wicked Concerning Christ Jesus HIs Faith is that Christ humbled himself and became obedient unto death that he might become a living example to all Generations that the Light within every man unâ—ted and followed will lead unto Christ and will reveale the power and God-head and so the Light within is the sure word of Prophesie The word of Faith saies that Christ being the brightness of the invisible God came forth in flesh and being the eternal word wisdome and power of God and so having obtained a name and supremacy above all other Lords he put an end to the Law Sin and Death and the dominion thereof over us in his Crosse that he might bring forth Grace Righteousness and Life for us in himself that so we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear and is this no more than a living example to you and if so can ye after his example break through the gates of sin wrath and the grave and make your access unto God through all as he did is so great a mystery of Faith as this become no more with
for all to be known and beleived as done onely within thus nothing is less learned and understood by the most of Religions and Opinions that are than faith in Christ and the life of faith sense or reason or fancy or mystical legalitie all which in the account of the Spirit are but sight and appearance having left no more room for true Gospel faith than onely in that Church of the faithful that holds the Head even him that is far above all things and they in him by faith And hence it is that where sight or sense as to spiritual things is by any spirit or doctrine made a principle and rule of judgement these and such like conclusions follow do this and live if thou sinnest after faith thou art under the law so much obedience so far justified while flesh lusteth within thee no freedom from sin to be perfectly justified by Christ and reconciled to God is not till fully mortified and obedient to Christ within thee all which are sentences of the Law not of Grace denying Christ overwhelming the afflicted in sorrow without hope and turning the feet of the lame out of the way of such doctrines beware On the other hand where faith or things not seen or things in Christ are made the rule or principle of Judgement these sayings are blessed and true I am black but comely as dying and behold we live when I am weak then am I strong Enoch Noah and Abraham dyed in the faith yet received not the promises onely saw them afar off all things are put in subjection under Christ though we see not all things yet put under him The sum of all is measure not things by sight but faith the door of faith is open when that of sense may be shut rejoyce alwayes in the Lord though thou mayest not alwayes see him sight as alone is the foundation of idolatry if thou beest led by that thou fallest back into the Law though in a mystery of deceit if thou walkest by faith thou shalt be led on to sight not that of reason or dry speculation but of spiritual sweet and gracious mainfestation of Christ as in person a Saviour for thee and as in Spirit revealing himself in thee and hereby their second principle above named of justification and redemption to be the light within as obeyed within may appear to be a mystery of iniquity to my understanding affirming in effect that Christ is divided Paul and every Christian crucified and made an offering for himself and thereby justified reconciled and accepted and if it be so let this people consider and fear but if not so let plainness of speech be used and not a vail Concerning the Spirit and Scriptures as together making up a perfect witness or rule of faith COncerning the Scriptures passing by all other distinctions they are first the Law of Commandments ordained by Angels a ministration of the letter answering to that of God in every man the law in the conscience this within and that without being one in substance a light and a law of things to be done for righteousness and life thus all Nations have received a law having a law in themselves though suppressed and vailed thus all have a law though dimmed and darkened pointing to the righteousness of the law or first Adam but not attaining thereunto and herein all Nations are one whether Jews Turks or Pagans their Light one Law one Religion one all following one righteousness that is of the Law onely in difference of notion and form and manner of worship all equally concluded under the law of sin and all equally ignorant of the second Adam and righteousness by him thus if Scriptures were not by that Candle in man God might be known and the law and righteousness yet but as in a ministration of death the righteousness of God and the law of the Spirit and God manifest in flesh being a mystery hid from the natural man declared onely by the Gospel and discerned by the Spirit 2. The word of the Gospel or Reconciliation being the joyful tidings of an heavenly Person and an heavenly gift both equally wonderful God manifest in flesh and our righteousness in him in whom old things or things belonging to the first Adam whether the Law of God or deeds of the flesh are passed away having in him received their period or perfection and all things though not yet to us fully seen in him become new Thus the Gospel being a mystery of things hid in Christ is neither written not to be seen in the heart of man and being a mystery of things of the new Creature and of another world cannot be known by the wisdom of this world that is by the wisdom spirit and light of the natural Man as he that gave a law to all the world has set in every man a light to know that law so the ministration of Grace being a far other thing and exceeding it in glory cannot be known but by a far other Light than that in every man and exceeding it in glory that is the Spirit of grace Wherefore the bringing the Gospel to Light is after this manner it first lay hid in God unknown to Angels or men as the deeps that are beneath afterward was declared and administred by the Word made flesh in the Person of Christ as the spring head bring forth the deeps beneath thereby him revealed through the sending of the Spirit to them that were with him and to this day by the same spirit to them that beleive through their word and hence these things follow That the knowledge of God according to the law all Nations may have by his enlightening within them the mystery of God in Christ not so the first being engraven in the spirit of man this having not so much as entered into the heart of man and being onely revealed by another Light far exceeding in glory even that Spirit which the world never saw nor can receive That the Scriptures as joyned in one are the onely sufficient warranted and standing evidence of Christ to men the Scriptures as the Image of him without and the Spirit as the light shining upon them bring forth the true and living image of him into the heart if Grace have appeared to any where Scriptures are not the Spirit is free to blow where he lists but this spirit or grace the light in the natural man knows nothing of That the Spirit and Scriptures together as they are a full witness to Christ and Truth so they are as the standing Oracle or constant Vision unto which all ought to come for the knowledge of Truth the perfect Judge for ending all difference about spiritual matters and the perfect Rule for tryal of all spirits and wayes of Religion the Scriptures as the lanthorn and the Spirit as the candle therein they as the Commandment of Christ to his Church and the Spirit as the Judge giving the true understanding thereof and bringing forth the
defaced or any other wayes painted out unto thee when the hour of temptation or trouble cometh thou shalt soon be overthrown By the Spirit of this world Christ is set forth under another resemblance by some more according to the Godhead as the Word the Light the Truth the Spirit by others according to the humanity as a man holy spotless separate from sinners and by both as a living example unto the world of perfect obedience to the law of the Spirit and the life of God this sets forth Christ indeed as a divine Person and so has a Truth but presents him onely as giving a Law and working it in us and so denies and blots out the Glory of his Grace as being the end of the Law this is the divinity of Sophisters and Justitiaries and all that they know or can teach of Christ let such Teachers know who cry up the Spirit to cry down the bloud who teach him as an Example and cast out the Attonement let all such know while they vaunt of sublime divinity and mysterious truth they do but set Christ in Moses chair as Law-giver and Judge but the great love in him as propitiation for sins they know nothing of the highest Religion of natural Reason is to pierce far into notions of God and to set him before it as a pattern to obey but faith onely sees the deep secret of Grace laid up in a crucified Christ he that would behold the glory of God and would be set up in those heavenly places let him lay down his Reason how heightened soever and begin in the simplicity of faith at the crucified body of Christ in whom he shall see himself dead and buried and raised up also together with him not by any work or obedience to Christ within but by the faith of the operation of God who hath raised Christ from the dead Hence these things follow 1. That the Light within or of the natural man with the work of Reason together is that spirit of this world which hath formed this false resemblance of Christ as a Law-giver and Worker and Pattern as upon the Cross an Attonement to Justice the victory of sin curse and the grave and the Head over all which is the true likeness or image of him terrible to others but the joy of his own so he is not known to the Light within If a man should be born into the world and in the space of one hour should grow up to the perfection of a man to the fulness of Light and Reason propound unto him these doctrines whether he will chuse that Christ has already by himself purged away his sins and sanctified him for ever before any good work wrought in him or that not Christ without but the Light within him is the Christ which through obedience thereto purges away sin in him and redeems him that way the first would seem foolishness and a contradiction to his Light the last would be received as the more reasonable and excellent way 2. That this false conception or resemblance of Christ as a Law-giver and Worker is an Idol and the root of idolatrous Religions doctrines of Circumcision added to Christ by the false Apostles of charity humility and bodily chastisements by the Church of Rome preparatives before faith by the Teachers of the Law and obedience to the Light within as the way of Redemption by the people called Quakers all these though divers as to Parties and Notions yet are one in the root and foundation of their faith all looking upon Christ according to the Law as perfecting out in part or in whole Redemption by work within them Conceptions of Christ how divine soever if not as crucified for our offences and raised up again for our justification are but Idols set up of a more spiritual nature as the Gods of Gold and Silver Lastly That they who affirm the Light in every man that condemns of sin to be Christ the Redeemer have set up an Idol for Christ they are gone back from that Christ that came not to judge but to save the world that speaks not condemnation but meer joy and sweetness to the weary and weak and have set up another Jesus and another Gospel neither of which nor the worshippers thereof shall be able to stand when the true Jesus shall appear this is the other errour as to the Light within Two things charged upon us by this people first that we deny the Light within and set it against Christ weighed and removed THis blessed doctrine of Grace Christ bearing away sins as in his crucified body and justifying the ungodly as in himself is by the words and writings of this people often and principally charged of two things 1. As denying the Light within and setting it against Christ 2. As teaching Christ at a distance and onely without A word to both may not be unseasonable While the Light within condemns of sin to beleive by Christ I am justified from sin is not this to make the light within against Christ no no more than the Law is against the Promise the Light in the Conscience and the Law of Commandements for substance are one their power one their kingdom one that is the flesh or first Adam Jesus Christ came forth one greater than the Law greater than our Conscience against him arose the Law of commandments the Law in the conscience sin in the flesh death and the curse all great and mighty Lords who had devoured the earth sparing no flesh neither Kings Princes nor People whom he having vanquished and triumphed openly over them he took the Law out of the tables the work of the Law out of the heart and sin out of the flesh as the Conquerour takes the conquered Kings out of the Throne of their Kingdoms and nailed them to his Cross according to the flesh he was as it were given for a prey to the fowls of Heaven and the beasts on Earth principalities on high and the miseries of the flesh according to the Spirit of glory and power he redeemed the prey brought back the spoil raised up his flesh and therein his body mystical and gathered together all things that were against him that are against us buried them in his grave and therein shut them up for ever Hence then a beleiver is divided into twain and accordingly lives in two Kingdoms according to his faith he is a man in Christ raised in him and set up in him above the law of his flesh of conscience or sin above the whole world with all things therein into the glorious liberty and blessedness of Jesus Christ as thus he is to be known no more after the flesh but as having put it off in union with Christ according to reason and sense he is a man in the flesh subject to the Law to infirmity and death the life of his spiritual man being many times hid from the sense of his natural as the Life of Christ in the Godhead
and a crucified Jesus may stand for a little aside among all the doctrines either named or professed this day among men for shews of light spirituality and holiness I know none to be compared with this yet if I much mistake not the glorious and eternal efficacy victory and triumph of the Son of God upon the Cross over the whole world and all things against us is by none so much obscured and debased as by this of which I think it meet at best in this place to say onely this that if the sins transgressions and evils of mankind were so great before God that all the wood of Lebanon all the Rams of Nebaioth ten thousand rivers of oyle and the first born of our body were not sufficient to offer for the sin of our soul that the bloud of Jesus and in him the eternal wisdom and righteousness of God was found onely among all things in heaven and earth to be sufficient to take away the same then let all high thoughts come down whereby any do or shall exalt themselves into an equal capacity with Christ Jesus of drinking that cup and being baptised with that baptisme in the measure and manner as he did in hope to make that attonement for their own sins which onely could be made once by Christ never to be renewed more wherefore coming to God through the bloud of Jesus beholding the glory of God in the safe of Christ and communion with God in the Spirit of Christ this is the true inward Life but he that enters in any other way may break through unto the Lord and gaze but he shall perish A twofold departure from the faith in the last dayes what the first is NOw the things hitherto spoken off give occasion to admonish you of a twofold departure that should come to pass in the last dayes the one of men holding the form of godliness but denying the power thereof 2 Tim 3 the other of men denying the form of godliness or of the words of faith and good doctrine but pretending to the power thereof 1 Tim. 4.1 2 6. seducing spirits worldly interests mingling themselves with the Gospel and Church of Christ have in every Age since the Apostles fell asleep been as the two Armes of the God of this world with the one he has defaced and vailed the image and glory of Christ in Gospel-truths with the other he has quenched the love of Christ and the power of godliness in the hearts of men The one of these defections is to be seen at this day in this our Nation in degrees of wickedness beyond what has happened in former generations namely in the Army their Leader and Commanders their Court and Clergy with all their stupified admirers and servants who have sometimes been as the sword of the Lord as the Chariot of fire wherein our Lord Jesus has ridden forth against the interests of usurpation and tyranny and against his and his peoples enemies in this Nation this was their ministry the eyes of their understandings enlightened with beams from the face of Christ their hearts as burning coals consuming them with zeal to Christ their hands stretched up towards heaven to receive him coming their feet with wings setting them up upon the Head of all worldly and lower interests to prepare the way of the Lord this was their spirit and posture against the whole kingdom of Anti-christ both in its forms and powers either in the civil or spiritual state went forth their prayers professions and undertakings the sound whereof went abroad almost through all the earth from off them is this Spirit of glory and vertue departed and in the place thereof it entered another spirit feirce ruling the people by laws and weapons of warre instead of pure spiritual righteousness and meekness without natural affection peircing the hearts with unkindness and the sides with sufferings of them who have been as a Mother that bore and nourished them with their own bloud life and spirit all the dayes of their youth while they were little in their own and despised in the worlds eyes blasphemers thinking speaking and measuring evil to that spirit of faith light and expectation in others which they had tasted and testified of formerly in themselves traytors betraying that Right and liberty the price of much precious bloud the succouring and defence whereof was committed to their trust unto the will and pleasure of unlimited Monarchy heady proud high minded imposing laws constitutions powers forming transforming all things in the spiritual and civil interests in a way of superiority and mastership above and apart from others without taking in the hopeful assistances of more light by the conjunction of the counsels hearts and hands of their sometimes dear brethren unto themselves as if the Spirit of the Lord came forth onely from them or came onely into them incontinent not behaving themselves towards the wife of their youth the new Jerusalem to which they are joyned as one flesh and one spirit but have poured out themselves upon every one that passeth by unholy and prophane defiling their holy things the appearances and gifts of Christ the buddings beginnings and earnests of a more excellent way both in Church and State by mingling them with a strange seed the dark and fleshly principles policies and administrations of worldly Reason and Prudence despisers of those that are good casting contempt upon those Principles and Persons which were a cheering and strengthening to them in the day of their streights refusing the one as not squaring to their greatness and imprisoning or shaking hands with the other as too sullen or noble to be vassals thereto Lastly lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God careless Daughters at ease in Zion who are gone up to their fathers bed and have bestowed the ornaments the Lord put upon them for the dressing up the old Harlot again which though themselves had been teaching before yet fell in love with her after above measure to wit greatness and glory in the flesh while Christ stands without door as crucified and forgotten so that they having lost their savour from them hath proceeded sourness upon the spirits and filthiness upon the actions of many others who had a savour before their fall being not alone but thereat as it were the heavens were removed and the starrs therein darkened Righteousness and Truth being as the Heavens over our Land and many excellent spirits as lights and starrs to men are also darkened and fallen together with them this first departure is a sorrow but the other adds thereto Second departure from the Faith what it is NOt many years since Jesus Christ began to shine forth in clearer principles and doctrines of light and grace justification and faith whereby the darkness and bondage of the Law with the Teachers thereof passed away and liberty and peace in him brake forth severe descriptions preachings of Christ as a Law-giver Judge which were as the vail upon
that beleive and 〈◊〉 them perfect and without spot to God in it self without and before any work or good done whatsoever let this righteousness shine forth â—…ongst us and our eyes shall be kept seeing our judgement sound 〈◊〉 either philosophy of men nor perfection of Angell shall spoil us neither iniquity in the Letter not in the Mystery shall beguile us but where this Righteousness is denied or out of sight there darkness had covered the mind there spiritual wickedness will be taken for Gospel-mysteries What is Idolatry God may be known three manner of wayes AMong the works of the flesh Gal. 5.20 Idolatry is one the knowledge and worship of God according to the Law according to Philosophy and not after Christ this is Idolatry until Christ be formed in thee not as a Law-giver but as a meer Saviour not onely as putting away sin and perfecting righteousness in thee but as having already put it away and perfected thee in himself thou art in Idolatry Hebr. 9 26. and 10.14 That of God which is manifest in all men presents God according to one form in his eternal Power and Godhead Moses presents God in another form in his back parts as a Law-giver and a Judge Christ presents his face to us Glory in the Highest Peace on Earth good will towards men all these prepared already Hence may be observed That God may be Known three wayes first to that in every man by the things that are made this may discover to men the invisible things of him his eternal Power and Glory but not his good pleasure or purpose of Grace this may raise up to high imaginations of the divinity as over all through all and in all to a glorious shew and height of seeming holiness and perfection but knows nothing of the Mystery hid in God redemption by Christ nor can lead any into it unto these Christ crucified is foolishness 2. God may be known by the Law from Mount Sinai but this fight is so terrible that Moses said I exceedingly fear and quake this knowledge exerciseth the body purifies the flesh compels unto works but opens not the way into the Holiest the heavenly righteousness hid with Christ in God unto these Christ crucified is a stumbling block 3. God is seen in the face of Jesus Christ without a vail as in a glass there is one God and one Mediatour between God and men the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2. the invisible inaccessible God comes down in the Man Jesus and appears in him as upon a Mercy-seat unto him let all men look that would see the Father the crucifying of his flesh was the renting of the vail that Grace and Glory before hid in God might now shine forth in him so Jesus Christ alone in his Person is the face and Image of God wherein he may and will be seen If any man though an Angel from Heaven shall not point you unto a crucified and glorified Jesus for fight and access to God know this that he leads you out from the New and Living way unto the old and deadly Gate where the flaming Sword turns every way that no flesh can enter in and live Gen. 3.24 Curious speculations of the divine Majesty without Christ Jesus are the proper work of Reason and the highest divinity of Philosophers Jesuites and Justitiaries if thou thinkest to approach the divinity hâ—s Light and holiness excluding the Mediator thou shalt be confounded of his Glory Let J. Naylor and his followers with fear and trembling hear and consider Who hold not the Head and how Christ is Head DOctrines and Spirits are spoken of fair in shew high and perfect which yet hold not the Head Col. 2. what are the doctrines and what is the Head the Doctrines are first of men such are they who come in the words and wisdom of Man their Doctrine a leaven of the Pharisees that is a compound of humane wit and learning Law and Gospel letter Jesus Christ having onely a Name among them himself being not beleived nor known by them neither in his crucified body nor quickening Spirit these being of a lower and common nature are received by the greater part of men Secondly there is a doctrine of Devils of Sathan transformed into Angels of light such preach a Jesus Gospel and Spirit but not the true speak great things abstaining from meats from marriages neglecting of the body as things base sensual imagine intrude into things in shew more excellent things not seen purity perfection life of Angels but the true perfection and life which is in Christ alone they deny and set up another in work that which is prepared and finished already in one the body of the Man Christ they destroy and teach another to be wrought or done again in many by Angel or Spirit in the bodies of all the Saints these are they who worship Angels who hold not the Head their doctrine by how much in shew more spiritual by so much does it spoil and bewitch the minds of men above all other What then is the Head The Head over all things the Head of the Church is Christ of this 〈…〉 understanding First according to his Godhead onely that God is Head over all things to be feared and worshipped of all men thus Jews Turks Pagans and all men do know and profess this is that which may be known of God by all men and is manifest in them the enlightening upon every one that comes into the world Secondly according to the whole Person God and Man in one as such he received power to become Head over all things to his Church against him drove two great and dreadful enemies the hand-writing of Ordinances charging our sins and Curse upon him and Principalities and Powers with their spiritual wickednesses to have swallowed him up against both these he prevailed blotting out the one having nailed it to his Cross and spoiled the other making a shew of them openly and triumphing over them in it and thus he was declared Head over all things which is to be rightly understood not onely as he is in the form of God equal with God able to subdue all things in us to himself for this is true of him had he never been manifest in flesh at all and is known and professed by all Nations though they beleive not or know nothing of Christ come in the flesh as Jews and Pagan but he is Head according to his whole Person Emmanuel God and Man in Union in that not often and in every generation and in many bodies but in one body by one offering once and for ever he hath not in our Persons but in himself already subdued for us all things whatsoever are named in heaven on earth or in the deeps the Law sin and death with all their might dominion and power Hence are these sayings faithful and true and if any Man or Angel preach another Doctrine beleive him not That Jesus Christ the brightness
of the Fathers glory has already by himself without us and before any good wrought in us finished transgression made an end of sin abolished condemnation and death and that not by Spirit onely but by spirit water and bloud That though in the Kingdom of the Law of Reason and sense that is in the flesh sin condemnation and death are seen and felt yet in the Kingdom of Grace and Faith that is in Christ they are vanquished and appear no more That a beleiver while enclosed and shut up in a body of sin and death fightings and fears within and without as he is in flesh is at the same time raised up into the heavenly righteousness immortality and freedom above all sin or shadow of evil as he is in Christ the Head as redeemed in Spirit a Christian is in heaven in rest in victory and perfection as not yet redeemed in the body he is on earth in labours infirmities and imperfection These blessed sayings whosoever holds fast in faith and love will be in him as a lamp leading him through the thick vail of Legality the vain speculations of Philosophy the mysterious depths of Anti-christ and will be to him a Light to discern the Doctrine Spirit Ministry and Church of Christ from them that say they are so and seem to be so but are not but are of the Synagogue of Sathan Ye are compleat in him Upon this truth has the Church of Christ been built as upon a rock higher than all the flouds and storms that have gathered against her during the long Night of Anti-christian darkness as this Truth shined forth literal and mystical Idolatry in England France and Germany as shadows of the Night fled away On the other hand this Truth dying and decreasing out of the Churches of Galatia Colosse c. prepared the way of the Man of Sin into them and to this day hath exalted him over all Nations when the knowledge of Christ as Head shall more encrease and the Church grow up more into him who is Head Anti-christ in his highest forms his deepest speech his fairest shews worshipped and wondered at by the unbeleiving and unstable world of Professors shall be revealed and consumed Three cheifest Principles of this people called Quakers examined and weighed COncerning this people passing by their language postures and all other respects as to Person or Circumstance the tryal and knowledge of theirs or any other Spirit may more certainly be had from the substance and ground of their doctrine and faith the sum and scope whereof as to me it appears may be fully and faithfully gathered up in these three following principles 1. That the Light which enlightens every man accusing of sin is Christ and God the Pure and Perfect the Eternal and Just One and so the Redeemer and Saviour and the All to be known and beleived not as do others in word letter or person without but as within redeeming reconciling and making attonement not without in another but within in our selves out of which Light man departing was lost in darkness and the fall into which Light returning again he is restored and redeemed as at the beginning 2. That this Light as condemning of sin and death and restoring out of it into Righteousness and Life this is the bloud and death of the Cross the resurrection and second coming of the Son of God and that Obedience without mixture unto this Light working all our works in us this is our Redemption Justification Mortification and Sanctification so much obedience so much redeemed thus the Law and Gospel Faith and Obedience Death Resurrection Redemption Justification and Sanctification are not things distinct but one and the same within us 3. That the way to come to all this and to Christ and the Father is the Light in every man condemning of sin the sure word of prophesie wherein we must wait within and not as others go out unto a Christ without a letter without Christ and the Scriptures onely delivering their own experiences and conditions not as a Rule or word of faith to others and giving their Testimony onely to the Light within not to any Person Redemption or operation without also his and their Ministration in work words or letter without being onely the literal Covenant that makes nothing perfect This is the justest description and my truest understanding I can give of their faith and principles their other doctrine are but conclusions proceeding from these Three Principles of Truth are perverted and denied by these three principles of theirs the Person of Christ as the Object of Faith the Scriptures as the Rule of Faith and Faith it self as the evidence of things not seen of each of these a word whereby both Truth and Errour may appear Jesus Christ was in the beginning with God the Word the promise the Life yet fore ordained in the end of the world to be manifest in flesh to put away sin therein by the sacrifice of himself Unto him that is Christ as to come in the flesh the two great witnesses under the old Testament the Law and the Prophets did testifie and point as the true Promise and Sacrifice the Law having a shadow of things seen afarre of not then received of good things to come not present and done of Jesus the High-Priest to minister in flesh and therein to offer himself the one the perfect the eternal Sacrifice once and for ever no more to be offered from thenceforth in any age or generation In the fulness of time the Word was made flesh and being greater than Moses the Prophets or John he gathered up their several ministrations and finished them in himself the fulness of the Godhead in him as a Sea of righteousness life and blessing abolishing and overwhelming the sin condemnation and curse of the world as the less is overcome of the greater And hereunto when he ascended on high he gave gifts unto men whom he ordained as Apostles and Witnesses to the world that the Purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ before the world began which was shadowed by the Law and foretold by the Prophets was now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished sin and death in his crucified body and hath brought forth immortality and life in himself in spirit Thus the Mystery of Grace and truth lay hid in the divinity but came forth and was acted in the humanity neither is the divinity without the humanity nor the humanity without the divinity but both one in Christ thus the crucified and glorified Person of Christ is the express Image of God the alone object of faith the way whereby God came down in salvation unto men and by which we ascend and have access unto God thus Redemption and Righteousness is gloriously wrought without us in the person of Christ to point to any Person or Spirit within for the working Redemption over again other than to him that descended and ascended